Bill in New Jersey targets criminal human traffickers (02/27/05)

Bill in New Jersey targets criminal human traffickers

TRENTON, N.J. - Theodore J. Romankow, the chief law enforcement officer for Union County, N.J., praised a bill recently introduced in the New Jersey Assembly by Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-Union) that would allow state prosecutions of criminal human traffickers. The measure is co-sponsored by Assembly Members Neil Cohen (D-Union), Upendra Chivukula (D-Somerset), Linda Greenstein (D-Middlesex) and Jerry Green (D-Middlesex).

The bill passed the Assembly and on February 3 was released by the Senate Judiciary Committee. It is now poised for a vote by the full Senate.

"These traffickers in human life exploit immigrants by forcing them work as laborers, go-go dancers or prostitutes" said Prosecutor Romankow.

The bill (A-2730/S-1848) would create two new first-degree crimes: involuntary servitude and human trafficking. Both crimes would be included in the state's racketeering statute, and would be punishable with prison sentences of 30 years to life. In addition, convicted individuals would be subject to confiscation of all property or other money used in or gained through perpetration of the crime.

Prosecutor Romankow, Assembly-woman Stender and Assemblyman Cohen appeared in the latter part of 2004 in Trenton before the Assembly Judiciary Committee to testify about the types of involuntary servitude that can include labor trafficking and sex trafficking, particularly immigrants from Russia, Ukraine, Mexico, El Salvador and some South American countries.

Mr. Romankow described for legislators the terrible ordeal faced by young female teenagers from Mexico who were lured into the United States with a promise of jobs, schooling and a better life only to find themselves forced to work as prostitutes in a brothel in Plainfield.

"This problem prompted me to issue a public alert as well as set up a strategy for future investigations," said Mr. Romankow, the only prosecutor from New Jersey who attended a nationwide law enforcement summit on "Human Labor Trafficking" in Tampa given by the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Robert T. Buccino, chief of detectives at the Union County Prosecutor's Office, said additional training will be provided to police officers from throughout the county to help them recognize the signs of involuntary servitude and trafficking and move in to intervene and develop evidence against those behind such illegal schemes.

The prosecutor said there is a federal law, known as the "Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000," that provides for swift and certain prosecution of those who import or enslave foreign citizens for the purpose of involuntary servitude. There have been 110 prosecutions at the federal level in the past three years, a threefold increase over the past three years.

"Although tougher federal laws were enacted in 2000 and 2003, these laws do not go far enough and there is no real state statute in New Jersey covering such offenses," said Assemblywoman Stender. "This prompted me to introduce such a law in New Jersey. After Prosecutor Romankow reviewed the proposed bill and recommended changes based on what he had learned at the summit in Tampa, a revised bill was co-sponsored by Assemblyman Cohen."

"Victims of human trafficking, sometimes very young children, are exploited and forced to work under horrible conditions or even sent out as prostitutes and then isolated, threatened and forced to turn over money to these criminals," Assemblyman Cohen said. "Evidence suggests that many victims come into the country legally on work visas, only to find themselves forced into jobs as domestic servants, janitors or exotic dancers." They are then forced to turn over a large part of their pay checks to their 'sponsor' or 'coach,' leaving them virtually penniless."

"Females from Russia and other European countries, as well as Mexico are the most victimized," said Assembly-woman Stender. "Victims themselves mistakenly believe they will be jailed or deported if they come forward," Assemblywoman Stender continued. "The language barrier and fear of the police also act as a deterrent to keep these people from reaching out for help from authorities."

"Although slavery was outlawed in the United States during the 19th century," stated Assemblyman Cohen, "it continues to this day through the exploitation of men, women and children who are victims of forced servitude."

Prosecutor Romankow noted that Americans for Human Rights in Ukraine (AHRU) has lobbied for greater crime-fighting efforts in attacking the problem of human trafficking.

"U.S. government officials estimate that between 800,000 to 900,000 people are trafficked worldwide each year, with 18,000 to 20,000 of those arriving in the United States," said Assemblywoman Stender.

"Because of its large number of ethnic communities, busy international airport and proximity to New York and Philadelphia, New Jersey is a hotbed of human trafficking, with as many as 4,000 people engaged in forced labor," continued Assemblyman Cohen, "with the largest number of cases found in Mexican and Russian communities."

According to Mr. Romankow, there are clear-cut patterns to these illegal schemes, and law enforcement, even citizens, should be watchful and alert to the way they work. "Victims are isolated, often transported in groups to their work sites, threatened by their captors with deportation or even, in some cases, violence to their families back home," he said.

| Home Page |